Orange Marmalade Turkish Style

Soaking orange peels to take out the bitterness

1. The peels of oranges have a bitter taste in them. So to get rid of too much bitterness we need to soak them in water. First grate the outer skin of the oranges and peel (You can peel as you eat during the day or two). Place them in a bowl filled with cold water.
2. Collect the grated skins adding 1 tbsp sugar on every layer. Close a lid and keep the orange rinds year long in the fridge or freezer to use for cakes, cookies etc.
3. As the orange peels sits in the water, it will release its bitterness. Change the water once or twice more (depending on how soft you want it to taste). To check you can bite pieces of the peel as well. Now we are ready to cut or shape them!

Cutting / Shaping Orange Peels:

1. If you want to make an easy way, simply cut the peels in strips and cut them into bite-size rectangular. But I want to show you how we traditionally shape them in Turkey:
2. Have a cotton thread and a big pin ready on the side. Cut the peels in about 1 cm thickness.
3. Roll the pieces, secure with the pin and place them to the thread, like beads 🙂
4. Alternately you can use toothpicks to shape 2-3 at once.

Cooking The Orange Marmalade / Jam “Portakal Kabuğu Reçeli”

1. First, boil the water and sugar for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the orange peels to the syrup and continue to cook on low medium heat until the peels soak the syrup, and the syrup is thickened (For about 25-35 minutes)
3. You can add about 1 tbsp from the orange peels if you want to have more flavor. Check the consistency of the marmalade by serving some on a cold plate. If it is thickened after cooled down, it’s ready.
4. Take out the threads and portion the marmalade into jars and a bowl with a lid to enjoy at breakfast with a piece of bread topped with butter or kaymak along with orange marmalade.